


Ain't Easy

by Rynnsama



Series: LawRusso Song Fics [2]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Drinking & Talking, Implied/Referenced Cheating, M/M, lawrusso
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 12:12:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15751431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynnsama/pseuds/Rynnsama
Summary: Daniel reflects on his guilt.





	Ain't Easy

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by "Ain't Easy" by Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine. Check out the song, I love it.

He awoke covered in sweat, the sheets wrapped around him in a way that felt suffocating. He struggled to free himself of the fabric, panting as he finally was able to sweep his legs over the edge of the bed. His chest was heaving as he gipped the side of the bed trying to calm his racing heart.

Nights like this were becoming more and more frequent, tossing restlessly until he had cocooned himself in a mess of bedding, intermittent sleep and waking from dreams with a start, adrenaline rushing.

“Babe… are you awake?”

Her voice was groggy, he had woken her. He bit his lip as this made the guilt so much worse. It was getting harder and harder to lie to Amanda about his restless nights, especially as they grew with more frequency.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just trouble sleeping again. Go back to bed.” He said softly.

“You should go to the doctor, get some sleeping pills…” Her voice drifted off as she turned over and within a moment her breathing became rhythmic with sleep once more.

Standing, Daniel made his way to the ensuite. Flicking on the light he closed the door behind him as to not disturb his wife. He looked down at his left hand, the gold band there almost feeling like it was burning on his finger. He knew it was all in his head, the burning a result of the guilt he carried with him, but it felt real all the same.

Gripping the granite counter top he leaned towards the mirror. All these sleepless nights were wearing down on him, dark bags making their place under his eyes. He looked like shit. Turning on the sink he splashed his face with water, the cool liquid felt refreshing against his hot skin. A cold shower was probably just what the doctor ordered.

Closing his eyes he was assaulted by images of passion once more. The weight of the other on top of him, the burning kisses along his throat. His own fingers raking through golden locks as muscular hands dragged down his back. The sticky heat of bodies rubbing against each other and the sound of his own voice as he moaned in pleasure.

His eyes snapped open and he found himself panting once again.

Daniel had no idea how it had happened, there was no start so to speak. It was that god damn rivalry that he had carried with him his whole life. He had raised his children on the stories of the abuse he had received by Cobra Kai in his youth, they both knew the name Johnny Lawrence or had heard of him at the very least. Amanda knew it all too, to the point where she would roll her eyes at him laughing, asking why he couldn’t just move past it.

But he couldn’t. He had never been able to.

And then that asshole had to walk back into his life again.

The moment John Lawrence had entered the dealership, his life had changed. They had become obsessed with each other in their own ways. This strange dance where it seemed they had to make the other notice them.

Daniel, fixing his car for free. Johnny, opening Cobra Kai. Then he got the rent raised, there was the dick on the billboard. On and on it went as they continued to keep themselves involved in each other’s life.

At first he thought it was because of some deep seeded trauma that Cobra Kai had inflicted on him. And true, that probably had played a role in this, but Daniel had soon learned that there was so much more to this. It wasn’t just Cobra Kai, it was Johnny.

The blonde plagued his thoughts day in and day out and he had been fine hating Johnny. But then they had spent the day together. Opened up in a way they never had before. And that’s when Daniel realized the reason he had been so obsessed with his high school rival. They were the one and the same. As they sat in the bar drinking, exchanging stories of their adolescent mentors, Daniel realized that Johnny could understand him in a way that no one else could.

And that’s how he found himself frequenting the bar in Reseda near his high school apartment. Surprisingly enough, Johnny found his way back there too. It was a coincidence at first but soon Daniel was telling Amanda he had taken up fitness classes twice a week when in fact he was actually having drinks with Johnny.

He felt like an ass, lying to Amanda like that. But at first it was uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure what was happening with this strange peace he had finally made with Johnny. Was it just the calm before the storm? He wanted to see how things played out before announcing to the world that he had made amends with his adolescent bully.

Drinks slowly turned into other things. One night they had gone to Johnny’s dojo and Daniel had started to show Johnny kata. They began to playfully spar with each other and that’s when it happened.

He had landed on his back, looking up to see Johnny’s blue eyes sparkling down at him with a laugh. They were so close, it was so comfortable. He had never felt a connection like this, not since Mr. Miyagi had passed. Even so, the connection he felt with Johnny was different still from that he had with his mentor. Leaning up their lips met for a brief moment. They had stared at each other in silence before finally getting up and going their separate ways.

Daniel had been worried that he had ruined it. The kiss would end their developing friendship. But the following week there was Johnny waiting for him at their usual booth.

And the next week they kissed again. And again.

They never talked about it. It was never forced. It just happened. And once it started happening he couldn’t stop it. Desperately he wanted to come clean to Amanda but how could he now? Where could he even start? It wasn’t just a lie to have a drink with a friend anymore.

The first time they had sex he hadn’t been able to look his wife in the eye at all that night. That’s when the insomnia had started and had only been getting worse since. Desperately he wished he could blame it entirely on guilt but unfortunately that was not the case. His need for more kept him up at night too.

“I’m going to hell.” He said to his reflection in the mirror. He watched himself as he contemplated what to do, clenching his jaw. He snapped the light off, slipping out of the bathroom and through the bedroom moving as silently as possible as to not wake Amanda again.

It didn’t take long for him to make his way to the kitchen, unplugging his cell from the charger. Phone in hand he padded towards the living room, making himself comfortable on the couch as he opened his contacts.

Scrolling through his contacts he found “Lawrence J.”, selecting to message. Since he had been lying about a fitness class it seemed wrong to put Johnny in his phone under his name. Sure maybe it wasn’t the most creative but at least it would take more than a quick glance to figure out who it was.

_D: I need more you._

As he clicked send he realized exactly what he had typed. Maybe 2am texting wasn’t the smartest idea. At least texting was an option now. Johnny had resisted assimilating to modern technology for a while but once things had become more _complicated_ between them they needed a form of communication that would be subtle.

He was startled as the phone vibrated in his hands. Unlocking the screen he looked down.

_L: That’s fucking forward._

Daniel rolled his eyes. Inhaling sharply he pursed his lips, tongue rolling across them the way it usually did when he was annoyed.

_D: What are you doing up at this hour?_

_L: I could ask u the same_

_D: Couldn’t sleep._

_L: Me 2_

_D: I was serious._

_L: Come over_

Daniel stared down at his phone before clicking the screen off, burying his head in his hands. He was desperate, missing the touch of his skin. He wanted it so badly. It was so tempting to grab his keys and leave but how on earth would he explain a joy ride in the middle of the night? The web of lies was already getting to be too much, he couldn’t add any more layers. Unlocking his phone again he exhaled slowly.

_D: I can’t leave my family at this hour._

He waited, watching his phone for the response to come in. All that happened was his screen going black from being inactive for so long. His chest started to feel tight and he swallowed hard. He hated this, the hot and cold of their relationship. It seemed anytime Amanda or his family came into play Johnny would just shut down. It wasn’t fucking fair. He knew before all of this began that Daniel came with the whole package deal. He hated the way he was punished for trying to protect those he loved. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Amanda or his kids, Johnny should at least be understanding of that.

After what seemed like an eternity his phone vibrated.

_L: ur loss_

Daniel stared down at the message. Of course it was, he knew that. What the fuck did Johnny expect from him?

_L: 2morrow night?_

The pressure in Daniel’s chest started to give as the second message came in. He bit his lip, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

_D: But I only go to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday._

_L: u’ll come up with something._

_D: Will I though?_

_L: If ur message is serious, then yes._

_D: Did I send you a message?_

_L: “I need more you”_

_D: Oh that message…_

_L: Yeah that fucking message._

_L: God ur annoying._

Daniel was grinning, thumbs flying as he crafted his next reply that he didn’t even notice the movement across the room.

“Dad?”

He was so startled he practically threw his phone as he fumbled to hold it once again. “Sam, what are you doing up?”

“I was getting a drink. What are _you_ doing down here?”

He forced a smile, “Nothing, just couldn’t sleep. Didn’t want to disturb your mother.”

His daughter started to cross the room towards him and he panicked once more, fumbling this time to lock the screen on his phone like a naughty child that was caught doing something they shouldn’t be. Samantha sat down beside him, a worried look on her face.

“You seem to be up a lot lately… are you okay?”

Once again he felt hot, he could feel sweat start to gather on the back of his neck. “I’m fine Sam. Just a lot on my mind is all. You’ll see, everything will go back to normal soon.”

His daughter gave a small nod and then pointed to his phone. “What were you doing?”

“Oh, uh…” He swallowed hard. Coming up with a plausible answer should be easy but for some reason he was drawing a blank. Finally he came up with something. “Work. Just reviewing some work files. I mean if I can’t sleep might as well get some work done right?” He forced a laugh.

“Well don’t work too hard. You need rest too.” Samantha stood, leaning over to kiss her dad on the forehead. “Night dad, love you.”

“Love you too.” He watched her leave, the guilt eating away at him once more.

What was worse, the guilt he felt to his family or the way he craved to be with Johnny again?

Opening his phone once more that night he quickly deleted the message he had started before Sam had interrupted. Biting his lip he began typing again.

_D: I’ll figure something out._

 


End file.
